Circulation Policies

Checkout Privileges

Checking out library materials is permitted for currently enrolled students, currently employed faculty and staff, and other individuals who have been approved with affiliate status for circulation privileges by the Circulation Department. Report lost or stolen ID's immediately to the ID Center and to the Circulation desk.

Valid Identification

All patrons must present a valid ASU photo identification card and/or an ArkLink Card or valid Courtesy Borrower's Card. The patron is responsible for all material borrowed against his/her ID. Affiliate status may be requested by completing a Courtesy Borrower's Card application.

Circulation privileges are not transferable from one person to another.You are responsible for all library items checked out on your AState library record.

Borrowing Policies

Undergraduate Students

30 day loan period for most books.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

Undergraduate students may borrow a maximum of 20 items at any given time.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

Graduate Students

45 day loan period

Graduate students may borrow a maximum of 40 items at a time.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

AState Staff Grade 114 and Below

Policies are identical to those for current AState undergraduate students.

AState Staff Grade 115 and Higher

End of current semester due date for most books.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

May borrow a maximum of 25 items at any given time.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

AState Faculty

A faculty member may send a GA to the Library to borrow materials, but they must have the faculty member's AState ID card with them each time they borrow materials on behalf of the faculty member.

End of current semester due date for most books.

May have a maximum of 50 items checked out at any given time.

Periodicals are loaned to AState faculty on an overnight basis only.

Retired AState Faculty and Staff

Must present a valid state issued photo ID.

Policies are identical to those for Courtesy Borrowers.

Emeritus AState Faculty

Must present a valid state issued photo ID and Emeritus card.

Must complete a Courtesy Borrowers Application Form at Circulation before borrowing.

May have a maximum of 10 items checked out at any given time.

All other policies for Emeritus Faculty are identical to those for current AState students.

Honors Program and Special Project Graduate Students

Must be working on a special project that necessitates a longer loan period.

May borrow a maximum of 25 items at any given time until the end of the current semester. This status is available only during the fall and spring semesters. The chair of their department must sign a form from Circulation stating that the student is working on a special project.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

Library Associates

30 day loan period for most books.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

LA may borrow a maximum of 5 items at any given time.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

Courtesy Borrowers

Must present a valid state issued photo ID.

Must complete a Courtesy Borrowers Application Form and sign it at the Circulation Desk.

If the application is approved, a Courtesy Borrower Card will be mailed to the applicant. The applicant may not borrow any materials until they receive their Courtesy Borrower Card.

If the application is not approved, the applicant will be contacted and given the reason for the denial of borrowing privileges.

Courtesy borrowers may check out 2 books for a maximum 30 day loan period.

3 day grace period beyond the due date before fines are assessed.

The borrower must be 16 years of age or older.

Overdue charges for most books are 25 cents per day per book with no maximum.

AState Alumni must complete a Courtesy Borrowers Application Form in order to receive borrowing privileges.

Returning Items

Items that were checked out at the Circulation Desk may be returned at several locations. There is a book drop located at the Circulation Desk, one book drop located adjacent to the south entrance of the library, a book drop located to the east of the north entrance of the library, and a book drop in the south parking lot next to the bus stop. The outdoor book drops are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Renewals

General Collection items may be renewed twice, unless another patron has requested the item(s). Materials must be renewed before the due date. Patron self-renewal is available through the online catalog by logging in and choosing "My Library Account"

Placing Holds/Recalls

Patrons who need a book that is checked out to someone else may stop by the Circulation Desk with a valid AState ID to place a recall or hold request on that book. When the item has been returned, a notice will be sent out to the person who requested the hold or recall. The book(s) will be held at the Circulation Desk for 10 days. If they are not picked up by the 10th day, then they will be re-shelved.

Recall Fines

All circulating books are subject to recall by another user. When a recall is issued, the original due date is cancelled and a new due date is established. Books that are overdue and that have been recalled are subject to immediate recall fines. Recall fines are $1.00 per day.

Failure to receive a recall notice (due to travel, sabbatical, illness, or problems with mail delivery, for example) does not excuse faculty/staff, students, or other borrowers from paying recall fines. Fines will accrue $1.00 per day until the books have been returned.

Overdues

No service charge is made during the three day grace period following the actual due date which is printed on a date due slip and placed in the back of each item. A fine is assessed on an item that is 4 or more days over due. As a courtesy reminder only, overdue notices are sent on the 10th and 20th day after the item is due. A failure to receive this reminder does not constitute a valid excuse for voiding overdue service charges.

Please notify the library of any change of address.

Fines/Lost Books

A fine is assessed for individual books that are 4 or more days overdue. On the fourth day the fine is $1.00, with each additional day another $.25 per day. There is no maximum charge. Fines will accrue at a rate of $.25 per day per book until the book is returned or declared lost by the online system. Media fines accrue at a rate of $1.00 per day per barcode until the item is returned or declared lost by the online system. For material not returned, there will be a replacement cost plus a $20 nonrefundable processing fee for each item that is not returned. Having outstanding overdue fines or lost material on your library record may cause you to be blocked from checking out items, registering for classes, or getting transcripts. Your circulation records at the AState Library are confidential.

In order to graduate or withdraw from the University, students must return all materials borrowed from the Library and must pay any accumulated Library fines.

Damaged Items

The borrower is responsible for all material checked out on his/her record and should point out any noticeable damage to items before checking them out. Borrowers who return library items that are damaged will be assessed a service charge based on the cost of repairing the item. If the book cannot be repaired, the "Lost Item" replacement charge will apply. Charges will vary and payment is the responsibility of the patron that borrowed the item on his/her ID Card.

Stacks

The majority of books in the Dean B. Ellis library are shelved in call number order using the Library of Congress Classification system. General Collection books are housed on the 3rd - 5th floor beginning with the oversize A-Z and then starting with the General Collection A-HJ. The 4th floor houses HM-PR, and the 5th floor houses PS-Z. The "Closed Shelves" books must be retrieved by Circulation Staff. Media material is located on the second floor of the library adjacent to the Reference Collection.

Missing Items

If the online catalog shows that an item has not been checked out but the item cannot be located, you may request that the Stacks/Circulation Department conduct a search for the item. After the item has been located, the user will be notified. Material will be held at the Circulation Desk for 2 days. If the user has not contacted the Circulation Desk within the time allowed, then the item will be re-shelved.

Placing Items on Reserve

A faculty member may place an item on reserve at the Circulation Desk by filling out a reserve form (Word) (PDF) to accompany each item to be placed on reserve. Only one completed form is required for each class. The form must contain the faculty member's name, the departmental office number to return the items at the end of the semester, the course number, how long the material is to stay on reserve, whether or not the material can leave the library, and how the item(s) should circulate. Additionally, any special instructions can be indicated on the reserve form. Reserves may be picked up at the end of the semester, or a library employee will return them to the appropriate departmental office. There is a twenty-four hour turn around time for placing materials on reserve. Faculty should bring reserve materials over before the semester begins. Reserve materials are put on reserve in the order in which they are received. Every attempt will be made to protect faculty's personal materials, but the library is not responsible for and cannot replace materials that are lost, stolen, or damaged! When no circulation checkout period is specified on the reserve form, the checkout default period will be one hour with in-library use only.

Faculty should be familiar with the appropriate copyright laws when placing photocopied materials on reserve. For more information, visit our Reserves page.

Study Carrels

These small study rooms are available to graduate students and faculty only on a first come first serve basis. There is no charge for study carrels, however there is a $25.00 non-refundable charge to replace a lost key.

Study Carrel assignments expire on the last day of final exams at the end of each semester. Summer Study Carrel assignments expire at the end of final examinations for the second summer session. The library reserves the right to check carrels periodically. Any library materials not checked out will be removed and returned to the shelves.